French media: The French National Day Parade Sends a "Strategic Signal"

【Global Times Special Correspondent Lin Kai】On July 14, France held its National Day parade in the capital, Paris. According to reports from French media such as Le Figaro and Le Monde, this is the tenth and final time that President Macron has reviewed the troops in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief. The core theme of this year's parade is to highlight "France's military rearmament, strategic autonomy, and Europe's strategic awakening," with the biggest highlight being the participation of the "Volunteer Alliance" and Ukraine, sending a "strategic signal" to the outside world.

According to a report by AFP on the 14th, this year's parade is the largest in recent years, with nearly 6,700 soldiers, 315 vehicles, 98 aircraft, and 31 helicopters participating. The day before, France had just hosted the "Volunteer Alliance" summit. More than 20 foreign heads of state and government, including Ukrainian President Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Starmer, and German Chancellor Merz, attended the parade. A formation of 500 soldiers from the "Volunteer Alliance" member countries was followed by 25 Ukrainian soldiers. During the aerial parade, several fighter jets flew over Paris with Ukrainian pilots trained in France as co-pilots, marking the first time that fighter jets flew over the city with weapon models suspended under their wings. A helicopter formation also flew low over the tank formation, aiming to "simulate battlefield conditions."

"For France, this parade is a powerful symbolic signal, indicating that Europe has recognized the dangers and must take control of its own destiny," Le Figaro believes, noting that Europe is facing challenges from both the United States and Russia. The Élysée Palace emphasized that this parade is a "strategic signal," conveying to the world information about France's strong military capabilities and striving to demonstrate Europe's determination to "control its own destiny."

French newspaper Le Point commented that historically, the last National Day parade during a president's term always carries special significance, representing the end of a political chapter and providing an opportunity for successive presidents to summarize their achievements or showcase their political legacy. Through this parade, Macron hopes to leave a political legacy of "France's military rearmament" and "Europe's strategic awakening." During his term, France's defense budget has doubled, and the recently passed military planning law for 2024-2030 sets the total military expenditure at 436 billion euros.

As the parade takes place, Paris is experiencing a "troubled autumn." The National Day coincides with the World Cup semi-final match between France and Spain. According to Radio France Internationale, to ensure the safety of the city during the National Day celebrations and the evening match, approximately 70,000 police and gendarmes will be deployed nationwide, with 7,000 police and 2,000 firefighters specifically in Paris and its surrounding areas. Additionally, forest fires near Fontainebleau in the suburbs of Paris have led to the cancellation of National Day fireworks displays in many parts of France.